Before the New Year arrives, families paste red paper around their doors: a big 福 (fú, good fortune) and a pair of spring couplets, 春联 (chūn lián). This worksheet teaches both. Trace 福 in large grids, learn the three parts of a couplet, 上联 (shàng lián, the first line, hung on the right), 下联 (xià lián, the second line, on the left) and 横批 (héng pī, the horizontal scroll on top), then copy a real folk couplet: 天增岁月人增寿 (tiān zēng suì yuè rén zēng shòu) and 春满乾坤福满门 (chūn mǎn qián kūn fú mǎn mén), crowned with 万象更新 (wàn xiàng gēng xīn). Listen to the rhythm as you read: the first line ends on a falling tone and the second on a level one. Many families hang 福 upside down, because 'upside down' (倒, dào) sounds like 'arrived' (到, dào): 福到了 (fú dào le), good fortune has arrived. Print the page free or save the PDF, then write your best 福 on red paper for your own door.
福 (fú) and couplet words
福 (fú) and spring couplet words| Chinese | Traditional | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|
| 福 | 福 | fú | good fortune; blessing |
| 春联 | 春聯 | chūn lián | spring couplets (New Year door poems) |
| 对联 | 對聯 | duì lián | couplet (any pair of matching lines) |
| 上联 | 上聯 | shàng lián | first line of a couplet |
| 下联 | 下聯 | xià lián | second line of a couplet |
| 横批 | 橫批 | héng pī | horizontal scroll above a couplet |
| 春 | 春 | chūn | spring |
| 贴 | 貼 | tiē | to stick up (on a door or wall) |
| 门 | 門 | mén | door |
| 红纸 | 紅紙 | hóng zhǐ | red paper |
| 毛笔 | 毛筆 | máo bǐ | writing brush |
| 倒 | 倒 | dào | upside down |
| 到 | 到 | dào | to arrive |
| 福到了 | 福到了 | fú dào le | good fortune has arrived |
Two spring couplets to copy
Hang the first line, 上联 (shàng lián), on the right of the door and the second, 下联 (xià lián), on the left; the horizontal scroll, 横批 (héng pī), goes above. The first line ends on a falling tone and the second on a level one.
Spring couplet 1| Part | Line | English |
|---|
上联
First line, right side | 天增岁月人增寿 tiān zēng suì yuè rén zēng shòu | Heaven adds a year to time, and people add a year to their lives; |
下联
Second line, left side | 春满乾坤福满门 chūn mǎn qián kūn fú mǎn mén | spring fills heaven and earth, and good fortune fills the home. |
横批
Across the top | 万象更新 wàn xiàng gēng xīn | Everything is made new. |
Spring couplet 2| Part | Line | English |
|---|
上联
First line, right side | 一帆风顺年年好 yì fān fēng shùn nián nián hǎo | Smooth sailing, and every year a good one; |
下联
Second line, left side | 万事如意步步高 wàn shì rú yì bù bù gāo | everything as you wish, rising step by step. |
横批
Across the top | 吉星高照 jí xīng gāo zhào | A lucky star shines on you. |
More Chinese New Year worksheets
- Chinese New Year worksheets: Lunar New Year 2027 is on Saturday, February 6, and opens the Year of the Goat, 羊年 (yáng nián), also called the Year of the Sheep or Ram. Free printable sheets for every age, with pinyin and English.
- New Year for Kindergarten: Eighteen big, simple characters for preschool and kindergarten, from 年 (nián), 春 (chūn) and 福 (fú) to 人 (rén), 山 (shān) and 水 (shuǐ). 年 春 福 红
- New Year Greetings: The spoken New Year wishes, from 新年快乐 (xīn nián kuài lè) and 恭喜发财 (gōng xǐ fā cái) to 身体健康 (shēn tǐ jiàn kāng) for grandparents. 新年快乐 春节快乐 过年好 恭喜发财
- Year of the Goat: 2027 is the Year of the Goat, 羊年 (yáng nián), starting on Saturday, February 6; 羊 (yáng) also covers sheep and rams. 羊 羊年 山羊 绵羊
- Zodiac Animals: Write 生肖 (shēng xiào) and all twelve zodiac animals in order, from the Rat, 鼠 (shǔ), to the Pig, 猪 (zhū). 生肖 鼠 牛 虎
- Chinese New Year Words: Twenty Spring Festival words: the reunion dinner, red envelopes, lanterns, firecrackers and New Year food. 春节 新年 除夕 年夜饭
- Lantern Festival: Words for 元宵节 (yuán xiāo jié), the night of lanterns: 汤圆 (tāng yuán), 花灯 (huā dēng), 灯谜 (dēng mí) riddles and the first full moon of the year. 元宵节 元宵 汤圆 正月十五
- Yuan Ri (元日): Copy Wang Anshi's 元日 (yuán rì), the classic Chinese New Year poem, line by line with pinyin. 爆竹声中一岁除 春风送暖入屠苏 千门万户曈曈日 总把新桃换旧符
Frequently asked questions
What does the Chinese character 福 (fú) mean?
福 (fú) means good fortune, blessing or happiness. At Chinese New Year it is written on red paper, often in a diamond shape, and pasted on doors and walls to welcome luck into the home for the year ahead.
Why do people hang 福 (fú) upside down?
Because 'upside down', 倒 (dào), sounds the same as 'to arrive', 到 (dào). Seeing a 福 (fú) upside down, people say 福到了 (fú dào le): good fortune has arrived. The pun is one of the best-known Chinese New Year customs.
Which side does the first line of a spring couplet go on?
Facing the door, the first line, 上联 (shàng lián), goes on the right and the second line, 下联 (xià lián), on the left, because Chinese was traditionally read from right to left. The horizontal scroll, 横批 (héng pī), goes above the door.
How do you write a simple spring couplet?
Write two lines with the same number of characters whose words match in meaning and grammar, like 天增岁月人增寿 (tiān zēng suì yuè rén zēng shòu) and 春满乾坤福满门 (chūn mǎn qián kūn fú mǎn mén). The first line ends on a falling tone and the second on a level one.
Is this worksheet free to print?
Yes. The 福 (fú) and spring couplets worksheet is free to print or save as a PDF, with no account or email needed, and you can print as many copies as you like for a class. Choose A4 or US Letter before you press Print or Save PDF.